Designing a Depression Retreat

:roll: I would say the patients should have a choice if they want to be on their own, as sometimes groups can get overwhelming. Good Luck

It would be a good idea to build physical exercise into the program as it has a natural anti-depressant effect. In fact, one New York psychiatrist stopped prescribing his depressives drugs and took them for a jog round the park instead.

Also, real-world satisfying tasks such as helping build something, plant vegetables, tend a garden and so on can help.

Roger

What a fantastic project jess!

My question is - would the retreat be restricted to people with depression, or would it be accessible to people with schitzophrenia or who self harm and so on? I think that the facilities needed might vary depending on this.

I agree with the other two. There should be an option to have a private space and facilities to exercise are vital. And combining creativity with small tasks that have meaningful goals would be great. A good start would be to have a look at the 7 basic needs and think of ways to satisfy these.

I'm sure nice views would help along with plenty of windows. Have you approached your local mental health hospital - I'm sure they'd let you know what kind of therapy/medical services might be necessary for the kinds of issues people may come along with.

Good luck with it!

Andy.

Thanks for your ideas!

I was originally going to include other mental illnesses, but I think i'd have too much of a big job on my hands and so would rather focus on Depression, due to my experience with my Dad suffering from it.

I was also looking at the American Philosopher William James who cured himself of depression in the late 19th century. He seemed well ahead of his time!

Hi Jess
I love the your idea of designing a place where people suffering from depression can come for healing.
Healing, as I'm sure you know, can come about on many levels, so it's a good idea to build in as many healing opportunities as possible.
As I've been learning to become a hypnotherapist I've learned that engaging all the senses is a very good way to create feelings of relaxation and calm. You could consider how to involve sight,smell, hearing, taste and touch in all the aspects of your residents' - and visitors' - environment. By letting people exercise as much choice as possible in these will give them back a feeling of control as well as directing their attention away from their immediate feelings.
You could ask your Dad for his opinions on this, couldn't you? I wonder if he'd have different inspirations at different times, depending on how he's feeling at the time.
Giving opportunities for people to cook their own food when they feel up to it, ortaking part in running a retreat radio station as well as planting their own herb troughs, would engage many senses as well as reminding them that they can still manage to achieve something, at a time when they might be feeling unable to do very much. One tiny step can lead to the confidence to take the next one.
Each time that I've thought about your project I've come up with new inspirations, so now I feel I can almose see your retreat and find my way around it.
Perhaps you'll keep up informed as you make progress?

Good luck and best wishes

starship

Hi Jess

Best of luck with your wonderful plan. Another facet of the experience of many depressed people is the feeling of being stuck as far as solving practical problems is concerned.

Having access to professionl resources (even people on hand) to advise on finacial, legal matters and help step by step problem solving diminishes the worry and negative instrospection that depression thrives on.

I agree with all the other comments. Research shows us that people heal quicker after operations in hospital if they have a room with a green view of 'nature'

Exercise increases serotonin production, body image and motivation.

A possible danger is that depressed people can 'learn' to be more depressed from other depressives. I have seen this time and again on the psychiatric ward where patients may absorb behaviours from other patients such as cutting etc.

However if the environment has enough positive input from non-depressed people then I'm sure a group as a whole can learn non-depressive styles of relating to life.

All the best

Mark.

Mark.

black out blinds in bedrooms. Get em sleeping